Lovastatin as a Treatment of Cardiovascular and Neurological Disorders

Abstract

There is evidence that statins which are mainly used in treatments of dyslipidemia can be used for attenuating symptoms of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Lovastatin and other statins are known to function through inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase which is involved in the majority processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation and migration. Recently it was revealed that lovastatin is effective in the reducing total and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, lowering the risks of post-surgical complications and mitigation of anticancer drugs’ side effects. Moreover, there are other combinations with other drugs to treat cardiovascular diseases. In addition, antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of lovastatin diminish neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Especially, combination treatment of lovastatin and rolipram in suboptimal doses is considered to be the most promising approach for protecting neuronal axons from demyelination and promoting neuro repair in MS. Although lovastatin demonstrates promising option for treatment of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, more clinical trials and studies in vivo and in vitro are required.